This is the "new" policy..denied admission based on low compass math score

[suzilks1]

i just received a letter from my community college here in ga that i was being denied admission because of a new admission requirement. i am 47 years old and scored a 19 on the math compass portion of the test. i was never told it was anything other than a placement test. but they are denying me admission because i needed a 20! here is the actual response..

**** state college has new admission requirements for fall 2012 that require applicants to meet minimum compass scores and exempt at least one learning support. the minimum score needed on the math compass is 20. based on your current score, you would not be admissible to a degree program at *** state. you can choose to retake the math portion of the compass in hopes of bringing up your score by at least one point or you can choose to change your major to a certificate program.

my response was:

i appreciate your reply and it appears i have no other choice but to attempt the compass again. however, i would like to say that for adults such as myself returning to school, not having had any math classes for thirty years it is very discouraging not to be allowed admission or even given the opportunity to attend a support learning class. it is especially discouraging since i attended auburn university at montgomery and am a former student in good academic standing as of 2004 there. i received a 4.0 gpa my last three semesters there and had an overall 3.32 gpa. it is disheartening to be denied admission to dalton state based upon 1 point in a subject i have not used nor received education for in three decades. i was not told that i would be required to score a minimum on the exam and believed it to be a placement test and since it was my desire to start from the basics in math classes i did not attempt to learn enough to "get by" on the compass because i wanted to be placed according to what i really remember in math.

i would appreciate if you would forward this to whomever it may concern. i believe the new standards may adversely affect the confidence of older students returning to college. i know it certainly has for me. if the college is interested in attracting older students who are mature and truly want to learn perhaps they should reevaluate this particular standard as it is entirely possible to be weak in math but very strong in other academic areas as is reflected by my transcript and act scores. perhaps an answer would be to have a compass support class for adult students like myself who are mathematically weak but have a very strong desire to complete their educations not in a certificate program but in a degree program.

this is so incredibly discouraging to me. i don't want to cram and get by and then wind up struggling in a math class. talk about shaking someone's confidence.... i know it probably is hard to understand if you get math and are good at it but for some of us, it's a huge hurdle in front of what we truly want out of life.

[Miniangel2]

:kiss sorry to hear That, suzi,,DONT give up and hope evrything goes well..!!:)

[CDEWannaBe]

I wouldn't expect leniency. This is a basic requirement. It doesn't matter if you're accomplished in other areas academically or that you're an older student who did well in the past. You need math skills to be successful as a nurse. If you don't have those basic skills you will struggle in your pharmaceutical/dosage classes.

If you want to be a nurse then get the math skills you will need. Ask if they have tutors available. Seek out developmental math classes at a local community college. I'm a non-traditional student too and got a copy of Algebra for Dummies and the workbook and spent hours brushing up my skills to be competent. You can do it too if you take the time and prepare.

[suzilks1]

Thanks for the encouragement miniangel! :)

CDEwannabe: I was trying to get into the developmental math classes at my community college..this is what I was denied entrance for. Last semester an accquaintance of mine who dropped out of school in the ninth grade was allowed admission and took developmental classes in ALL core class areas. Now because of a new policy just put into effect by the Board of Regents I am not allowed into those same developmental classes even though according to the college handbook my prealgebra score placed me into intro algebra. I agree 100 % that I need the basic skills to nurse. I am not upset because I think I deserve a special privilege. I am upset because last semester I would have been admitted and I would be in the developmental classes that I need. I'm upset because the policy change denies me the opportunity to get into them now. I am going to get the Algebra for Dummies book and no matter what I test on the compass if I pass I am still starting with the most basic math classes. I want a solid foundation in math so that I will be well prepared for dosage calculations in the future. It is just very discouraging.

[JZ_RN]

Kids who had to take classes with other students who made it impossible to learn (like at my school which practiced inclusion, and this is not a bash on inclusion just that in my experience it made it very difficult to even focus because of another student's uncontrolled behaviors and outbursts) still are required to take the math test and pass it. Honestly, lower standards can endanger people when it comes down to doing professional work and calculations. Frankly I feel we need higher standards. Just because you haven't been in school a long time doesn't mean you should get special treatment. Sorry. I know it sucks and I feel for you, but to expect leniency because of your age and not being in school for a long time seems a little unreasonable and illogical.

[elkpark]

it is disheartening to be denied admission to dalton state based upon 1 point in a subject i have not used nor received education for in three decades.

are you really sure you want to tell the dean that you haven't used math in three decades?

i can understand feeling angry and disappointed about the situation, esp. over one point on a test, but schools do change their policies now and then, and some individuals suffer because of the change. to some extent, that's life. many nursing schools have been tightening their admission requirements in recent years because of the huge floods of applicants -- the schools have to have some objective way of winnowing the candidate pool. i'm sorry you got caught by the change at dalton, and hope you'll be able to find a way to move on with your plans.

[suzilks1]

I guess I made it come across that I expect special treatment... let me stress again...I do not. I did expect to be able to sign up for remedial math courses at the community college. I thought that is what they are for and up until this semester, it has been. It's not as if they allow you to come out of the remedial classes until you pass them and move onwards and upwards as you master the skills necessary. I am discouraged by is the fact that I am not being allowed to access the community college developmental math courses. As I stressed above, I do NOT want to endanger anyone by not having the math as a strong suit in my skills. That is why I want and even asked to be put right into the remedial classes. And yes I have no problem admitting that I haven't used any complicated math in years. I think that when you pretend you can do something and can't that is the problem. I'm not going to let this stop me. I went out today and bought The complete idiots guide to algebra and a big book of practice problems. I also found out that besides myself there were four other professional adults who were denied entrance because of the math compass issue. I have suggested that perhaps the college could offer a math compass preparation program for returning adults.

[CDEWannaBe]

Thanks for explaining. Now I understand why you feel compelled to write the the dean about the unfair policy. That's crazy that you can't enroll in a developmental math class if you feel the need for it.

I liked the Dummies books because they're straightforward and have used them for chemistry and the cell respiration lessons in biology. Hope they help you too.

[elkpark]

Unless this is a policy that only applies to older, returning students, and not to all applicants across the board, I don't really see how you're being treated unfairly and it does kinda sound like you're asking for special treatment (unless I'm misunderstanding your posts). Do you really mean that you're not allowed to take any remedial math classes, or just that you're not allowed to be accepted into the nursing program and take remedial math classes at the same time? If the policy is that applicants have to score a 20 or above on the Compass test to be accepted into the nursing program, and you scored a 19, I'm not really seeing how you're being treated unfairly (other than getting "caught" in the timing of the policy change).

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Community colleges are struggling for their very existence right now due to financial woes. In Tx (and most other locations), they only receive funding for college-level courses, and receive no funding for "remedial" classes. According to recent US information, more than half of incoming CC students have to take remedial classes because they are not prepared for college-level work..... and this also true in in Texas, where no one can even graduate HS without passing 'exit exams'. Nationwide, close to 75% of entering CC students never complete a degree. Very sad. There is something really wrong with this picture.

CCs cannot easily tuition rates because they are so tightly controlled. They can't increase the number of classes because they are usually maxxed out in terms of personnel, space, etc. So, given this bleak situation, they have to embark on some pretty serious austerity programs to curtail expenses through any means possible. One way is to take steps to decrease the number of remedial classes that they provide. Instead, they are directing people into other 'adult education' venues (such as classes provided by public school districts) to prepare them for college-level work.

Seems like the OP was the victim of unfortunate timing and got caught up in one of these new policy changes. It really sucks and it's very hard not to take it personally.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I guess I made it come across that I expect special treatment... let me stress again...I do not.

It's not US that needs to be made clear to. It's the people to whom you're writing this letter. You're best bet for making that clear? Don't send that letter, relearn the math you need and move on.

[suzilks1]

No the 19 completely keeps me from being admitted to the college at all preventing me from taking the developmental math that I need to move forward. I absolutely would understand if it was keeping me from being admitted to the nursing program. I would be horrified if they WOULD let me in with that score.